Religion

Spiritual Slumber

by John Wesley 1703–1791

Translated by John Wesley (1739) · From Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739) · Osborn ed., vol. 1 (1868)

Religion

O Thou, who all things canst control,
Chase this dead Slumber from my soul;
With joy and fear, with love and awe,
Give me to keep Thy perfect law.

O, may one beam of Thy blest light
Pierce through, dispel the shades of night:
Touch my cold breast with heavenly fire,
With holy, conquering zeal inspire.

For zeal I sigh, for zeal I pant;
Yet heavy is my soul and faint:
With steps unwavering, undismay'd,
Give me in all Thy paths to tread.

With outstretch'd hands, and streaming eyes,
Oft I begin to grasp the prize;
I groan, I strive, I watch, I pray:
But ah! how soon it- dies away!

The deadly Slumber soon I feel
Afresh upon my spirit steal:
Rise, Lord; stir up Thy quick'ning power.
And wake me that I sleep no more.

Single of heart, O! may I be,
Nothing may I desire but Thee:
Far, far from me the world remove,
And all that holds me from Thy love.

✦ ✦ ✦

Translated from the German; original author not identified in Osborn

MLA

Wesley, John. “Spiritual Slumber.” Translated by John Wesley. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_j/0/.

Chicago

Wesley, John. “Spiritual Slumber.” Translated by John Wesley. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wesley_j/0/.

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